Levels of Editorial Service
Mechanical Editing
The “Small” Stuff That Makes a BIG Difference
Copyeditors focus on the consistent application of several style factors that affect the effectiveness of a piece of writing:
capitalization spelling
hyphenation punctuation
abbreviations treatment of numbers
Copyeditors also address grammar, syntax, and word usage. They hone writing to improve readability while taking care not to influence the intent of the words or the voice of the author.
A more substantial level of editing (aptly termed substantive editing) involves careful rewriting to improve style or to eliminate ambiguity. This type of editing includes making changes or suggestions to address organizational issues or loosely written sections.
An editor’s kind scrutiny is also useful for catching unintended factual errors (i.e., we’re pretty good fact-checkers).